A Double Stroke Vial Filling Machine is a specialized semi-automatic or automatic device primarily used in the pharmaceutical industry for precise liquid filling into glass vials, such as those for injectables, vaccines, or biopharmaceuticals. The “double stroke” refers to the filling mechanism where the piston or syringe pump performs two strokes per cycle: an upward stroke to draw in the liquid from the reservoir and a downward stroke to dispense it into the vial. This design allows for adjustable fill volumes by varying the stroke length, enabling accurate dosing without frequent recalibration. Vial Filling Machine are typically compact, compliant with cGMP standards, and designed for sterile environments, often integrated with laminar airflow systems to minimize contamination risks.
Vial Filling Machine Video
Key Features
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Filling Mechanism: Utilizes stainless steel (SS 316L) syringes or pistons mounted on an eccentric block, driven by a gearbox. The double stroke ensures smooth, drip-free filling with accuracy of ±0.5% to 1%, depending on the liquid viscosity and vial size.
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Vial Handling: Equipped with a star wheel or rotary indexing system to hold and position vials (typically 2 ml to 30 ml) during filling. Includes a “No Vial-No Fill” sensor to prevent overfilling or waste.
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Speed and Capacity: Outputs range from 20 to 100 vials per minute (VPM) for semi-automatic models, scalable to higher speeds in automated setups. Suitable for small to medium batch production.
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Additional Integrations: Often combined with rubber stoppering (bunging) and capping units in a monoblock design, reducing exposure time and contamination. Features like peristaltic pumps for corrosive liquids or vacuum-assisted stoppering enhance versatility.
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Sterility and Safety: Operates under laminar flow protection; minimal distance between filling and stoppering stations. Easy-to-clean design with no dead ends, and options for isolator or RABS compatibility.
How It Works
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Vial Feeding: Vials are manually or automatically fed via an in-feed turntable or unscrambler.
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Positioning: The star wheel grips the vial and rotates it to the filling station.
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Filling Cycle: The piston draws liquid on the upstroke and dispenses it on the downstroke. Volume is adjusted by altering the eccentric cam’s stroke length—no tools required for minor changes.
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Post-Filling: Vials move to stoppering (vacuum placement of rubber bungs) and optional capping/sealing stations.
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Ejection: Filled and sealed vials exit via an out-feed turntable for further processing like labeling or inspection.
Applications
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Ideal for aseptic filling of aqueous solutions, suspensions, oils, or creams in pharmaceuticals (e.g., COVID-19 vaccines, oncology drugs).
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Used in labs, pilot plants, or production lines where precision and sterility are paramount.
Advantages
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Precision and Flexibility: Stroke adjustment allows filling from 0.5 ml to 20 ml without part changes.
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Efficiency: Reduces manual labor and errors; compact footprint for cleanrooms.
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Compliance: Meets FDA/USP standards for sterility, with features like particle-free external cleaning integration.
Salient Features of Vial Filler
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Suitable for the filling Volume of 2ml to 250ml.
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Piston pump/Peristaltic pump aseptic filling.
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Filling accuracy of ±0.5% to ±1%.
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No cross contamination.
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Easy to validate filling system for small/large batch production.
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All Contact Parts Made from Stainless Steel 316L & framework by Stainless Steel 304.
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Variable A.C. frequency drive for speed adjustment.
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Digital Vial Counter for counting production output.
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In-feed Turn Table/ Unscrambler for automatic feeding of objects.
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On-line Mechanism.
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“No Vial – No Filling” System.
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“No Vial – Machine Stop” System.
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IQ/OQ documentation can be provided.
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PLC system with Graphical User Interface. (Optional)
Process Operation of Vial Filling Machine
The incoming dry vials (sterilized and siliconized) are fed through the unscrambler and suitably guided on the moving Delrin slat conveyor belt at the required speed of the correct placement below filling unit.
The filling unit consists of Filling Head, Syringes & Nozzles; Syringes & Nozzles are made of AISI SS 316L materials. A Star Wheel is provided which holds the vial during filling operation. A sensor is provided for ”No Vial-No Filling” operation. Syringes are mounted on eccentric block and driving through bottom main gear box. Volume can be increase & decrease by increasing or decreasing stroke length of piston as per filling size. Syringes is having non return valve for sucking and delivering situation to avoid volume variation. Liquid reaches to filling nozzles through silicon transparent pipe. Nozzles having up & down movement with help of cam mechanism, and it come down when vial hold by starwheel for filling operation and starts filling when it starts to move up and after completion of filling operation, starwheel delivers two vials together on conveyor for rubber stoppering operation.
Stoppering unit consist of Star wheel, Vibrator unit and Bowl. The sterilized and siliconized rubber stoppers stored in the vibrator bowl moves vertically to the rubber stopper chute. The vial is hold firmly by starwheel, which will be in continuous rotary motion and vial which is coming from filling unit get in to starwheel and move in rotary direction along with starwheel, during movement it picks up the rubber stopper from the exit end of the chute and rubber stopper pressed by fix single pressing roller, which is spring loaded. Then vial further move on conveyor and collected on out feed starwheel for next sealing operation.
Technical Specification of Automatic Vial Filling Machine
| Model | ALVF-40 | ALVF-80 | ALVF-120 | ALVF – 250 |
| Filling Heads | Two | Four | Eight | Twelve |
| Production Rate | Up to 40 Vials/Minute | Up to 80 Vials/Minute | Up to 150 Vials/Minute | Up to 250 Vials/Minute |
| Vial Diameter | 15mm to 70mm | 15mm to 70mm | 15mm to 70mm | 15mm to 70mm |
| Vial Height | 25mm to 140mm | 25mm to 140mm | 25mm to 140mm | 25mm to 140mm |
| Filling Precision | ±1% | ±1% | ±1% | ±1% |
| Power Required | 1 H.P. | 1.5 H.P. | 2 H.P. | 2 H.P. |
| Electrical Characteristics | 440 Volts, 3 Phase, 50 Hertz | 440 Volts, 3 Phase, 50 Hertz | 440 Volts, 3 Phase, 50 Hertz | 440 Volts, 3 Phase, 50 Hertz |
| Overall Dimension | 2050mm (L) x 850mm (W) x 1700mm (H) | 2200mm (L) x 850mm (W) x 1700mm (H) | 3000mm (L) x 945mm (W) x 1700mm (H) | 3500mm (L) x 945mm (W) x 1700mm (H) |
* Power voltage can be adjusted as per customer’s domestic power voltage requirements.
* Rights of technical improvements & modification reserved.
* Illustrations & dimensions are shown for information purpose only.
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